Sunday Snapshot: Steven Curtis Chapman Concert

The only way the evening could have gone better is if we'd actually gotten to meet Steven and Mary Beth!

I would love to know exactly how many people signed up to be Show Hope sponsors. I saw quite a few sign up at our booth...and there was another booth on the other side of the lobby!

That means more orphan care and more adoption grants. Woohoo!


It blessed my heart to be there and be a part of this evening.



To be with these people volunteering for Show Hope, all there serving together with one heart - to bring hope and care to orphans.

My precious friends Kami and Vicki.

But taking it a step further, it was a privilege to be there at the show with all the other concert-goers...realizing that we were all once orphans. But those of us who have accepted Jesus and His free gift of salvation have - Praise God - been adopted into the Heavenly Father's family.

I'm just reminded anew how much adoption is a perfect picture of what the Lord has done for me, a sinner saved by His grace.

Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son. (Ephesians 1:3-6, Message)

It was a pleasure to hear Mary Beth speak during the show, sharing some of their family's testimony that she wrote about in her wonderful new book, Choosing to See. (I read it in about two evenings, after the children went to sleep...couldn't put it down!)

One of my favorite quotes is something Mary Beth said in a magazine article in "Today's Christian Woman" way back in Nov./Dec. 2003. I've saved it all this time because she captured it so well:

"They gave Shaohannah to me in the hallway of the hotel we were staying at in China. I was so moved. As a believer, I suddenly understood so clearly what it means to be adopted into God's kingdom. From the first moment, I loved this child desperately and would've died for her even though she'd done absolutely nothing to earn my love. Even though I'd been a Christian since I was nine, it didn't hit me until that day, That's how much God loves us."

Amen.